Speaking at the Plastic Surgery Congress in Melbourne on Wednesday, experts from the US and the UK said Mexico, Eastern Europe and Africa also attracted large numbers of "medical tourists".

British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) president Graeme Perks said a recent survey found 16 per cent of people in the UK would travel overseas for surgical procedures.

He said it was estimated 43 per cent of Britons who travel overseas for surgery do so for cosmetic procedures.

Research published by BAPRAS found that of 215 patients who travelled overseas for procedures, 74 per cent had complications, 26 per cent were unhappy with the appearance and 26 per cent required emergency surgery.

He estimated cleaning-up botched surgeries performed overseas cost the UK anywhere between STG500,000 ($A747,000) and STG5 million ($A7.47 million).

"It shows how much we know about what's going on," Mr Perks said.

Dr Lyons said medical tourism is an increasingly big area because cosmetic surgery is an increasing area.